A customer-centered Culture. This is one of those things that small business owners who want to be successful talk about needing, but do not always have. These owners have heard about it, think they need it and want to have it, but do not know how to get it. As with most things in life, the idea is really very simple; it is the doing it that is hard. A customer-centered culture will lift you above your competition.

In a customer-centered culture, it is everyone’s responsibility to understand and uphold the company’s stated purpose and values – the customer comes first. When a business’s objectives are at the center of the owner’s, manager’s and employee’s actions, decisions, conversations, and strategies it becomes easier to get things done.

If the company stays focused on the why and how it is selling the product in the first place; everyone is rowing in the same direction. It, also, makes it easier to see who is not rowing or working with the group. In a strong positive culture, employees who are troublemakers will often leave the company on their own. Their behavior and attitude are not supported by peers or tolerated by management.

The customer-centered culture flows from top to bottom and bottom to top. Management and employees work together to hold each other accountable for establishing and maintaining the culture. Everybody is responsible for monitoring, supporting and mentoring each other. It is an on-going project which requires discipline and commitment at all levels but is well worth the effort.

The place to start is to identify your purpose and values, as everything flows from there. The purpose and values should be practical, simple and easy to understand. They ought to answer the “why and how” questions. Why are we doing this? How does it affect the customer? The customer’s perspectives and experiences guide how people think and act on a daily basis. Here is an example of how it works.

The purpose:

• In a simple, timely and cost effective way we will provide the best hex, flange and lag bolts on the market.

The values based on the purpose:

• Simple – We provide an easy ordering system and responsive customer service. We listen to the customer and if there is a problem, we fix it.
• Timely – We meet our order deadlines and deliver on time. We listen to the customer, and if there is a problem, we fix it.
• Cost-Effective – We focus on good quality, financial and production controls. We listen to the customer and if there is a problem, we fix it.

Remember – people will buy from whoever gives them what they want when they want it – and they usually are willing to pay a little more for it. A customer-centered culture is not always easy, but winners do the things that losers are not willing or able to do. It is your company, which do you want to be?

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